Let Her Die
by FallingRain22
Summary: "You'd let me die. No excuses." AU in which Ladybug is akumatized and Chat cannot purify her. Inspired by the song "Let it Die" by Starset. WARNING: Contains major character death


"Well hello there, little kitty. All alone tonight?" Chat Noir's blood ran cold at the words. He didn't want to look at her, to see the monster she had become. His voice trembled.

"Ladybug..." Chat gripped his baton more tightly, bracing himself for what he was about to see. He turned to face her. "What has Hawkmoth done to you?" She regarded Chat, her blue eyes unfamiliarly hard, like shards of ice.

"I am not Ladybug anymore. I am Miss Fortune. Others' bad luck is my good luck." Chat gazed up at her, his eyes pleading.

"I don't want to fight you, my Lady. Why have you given Hawkmoth control over you? I know you're stronger than him! You're better than this! Please, Ladybug." His chest tightened. Miss Fortune glowered at Chat and a second later, he was flat on the ground, the akumatized girl pressing firm hands against his shoulders.

"You don't know anything about me," she hissed bitterly. "If you don't want to fight me, then don't. Simply give me your ring." Miss Fortune's grip tightened painfully, eliciting a strangled gurgle from Chat.

 _The night had been quiet. Ladybug was strangely distant, biting her lower lip and muttering to herself. Not even Chat's usual jokes had been enough to lift her spirits. As the patrol ended, Chat and Ladybug stood upon the Eiffel Tower, gazing at the city below. Chat had grown silent, watching his partner with concerned eyes. A breeze drifted through the air, tugging gently at their hair. He searched for words to say._

" _Something bothering you?" Her startled eyes flew to meet his gaze before looking away quickly. She seemed so unusually frail and nervous. Frightened, almost._

" _Chat..."_

He flung Miss Fortune off of him and retrieved his baton. Chat extended it into a staff and readied himself for her blows.

"No," he stated clearly. "Paris needs her heroes. I will not abandon the people who need my protection." Miss Fortune's lips twisted into a snarl.

"My skills far outmatch yours, _chaton_. The city will be mine before sunrise." She dived toward him and Chat dodged her initial strike, rolling to the side and clipping her heels with his staff. Miss Fortune took her yoyo from her hip and began to swing it in a twisted version of her purification process. Black butterflies, akumas, rose from the yoyo and fluttered outwards into the dark city. Chat leaped toward her with a cry, raising his staff.

" _Yes, Ladybug?" His whole body was on edge, the tone of her voice sending sparks of worry through his system. Ladybug was silent for a moment. Her reply came out in a hushed whisper, so quiet that Chat almost missed it._

" _What if one of us was akumatized?" Chat sucked in his breath._

" _My Lady, that would never happen."_

Miss Fortune pirouetted away and grabbed Chat's tail as he flew past, yanking him down onto the street. Chat staggered and gasped, the wind knocked out of him. Miss Fortune kept hold of his tail, using it to sling him around and fling him several hundred feet. Chat's shoulder cracked against the pavement and he let out a sharp hiss of pain, clutching the injury. Miss Fortune was at Chat's side again several seconds later. Chat Noir peered up at her, hurt flashing across his green eyes.

"Ladybug...please..." She kicked him, hard, in the stomach. Chat choked, desperately trying to get more air. He groaned and rolled away just as her foot came upon him again. Miss Fortune's calculating eyes followed his movement. She spread her legs and held her yoyo tightly in hand, ready for any attack. Chat placed his baton on his back and held his hands out, advancing slowly toward her. He tried to ignore the pain in his heart. Miss Fortune traced his form, face twisted with contempt.

"My Lady..."

" _You don't know that, Chat. We're still people. It could happen." Ladybug shuddered and hugged herself. Chat wrapped his arms around her, eyes wide with alarm. He scrambled for words to say._

" _If it did happen, we could help each other. Save them from what they became." Ladybug stepped away and locked eyes with him, the look on her face turning his throat dry._

" _What if we couldn't?"_

" _What do you-"_

 _"If we couldn't save them."_

Miss Fortune set her shoulders back, allowing him to get closer. His face was mere inches from hers. "I know you're in there. Please...come back to me." Chat's hand touched her face, his breath soft against her skin. Hawkmoth's visor flared to life and Miss Fortune grabbed the front of Chat's suit, lifting him upwards and pushing him away.

"I am not your anything. You are _nothing_ without me, Chat. I chose to be your partner. I never needed you. And I don't need you now. There is no reason to come back. This is who I am." Each word cut deeper and deeper like a knife until his heart shattered into a million pieces. Chat fell to his knees, his breathing shallow. The akumas she had released earlier fluttered above, blocking out the moonlight and casting a dark purple glow. Miss Fortune's face was shadowed, but her white teeth glinted in the darkness. An unnatural laugh tore from her lips. The akumas dispersed, screams following as they found their victims. The Bubbler, Lady Wifi, Timebreaker, Dark Cupid, the Pharaoh, Horrificator... Chat recognized each and every one of them. Miss Fortune swung her yoyo casually.

"You're finished, kitty cat."

 _Chat didn't know how to answer her. Ladybug grabbed his face with both hands, forcing him to look at her._

" _You have to promise me, that you would do everything in your power to purify the akuma. I don't know how you would do it...but you'd try." Chat nodded silently, his heart pounding in his chest. "And if you couldn't...you wouldn't save me in the place of Paris. Understand? Don't you dare sacrifice the city to save me. Even if you have to...have to..." Chat grabbed her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze._

" _I promise. Cat's honor." Ladybug nodded sharply. He continued, "You musn't think of such dark things, my Lady." Ladybug didn't remove her hands from his face. She pursed her lips and studied him._

" _You'd let me die. No excuses." A lump formed in Chat's throat._

" _I-"_

" _It's not up for debate." He thought he saw tears sparkling in her eyes and he crumpled in defeat._

 _"Of course. Anything for you."_

Chat knew what he had to do. He darted forward, brushing past Miss Fortune. He missed his target and wheeled around, forcing a smirk onto his face. He danced around on his tiptoes in the most annoying way he knew how.

"A little game of cat and mouse, Bugaboo?" Miss Fortune's face tightened in disgust. She leaped toward him, kicks flying. Chat weaved in and out of her attacks; he knew her too well for her to land a hit this time. Now that he knew he had to fight. He vaulted away from her and this was the moment he was waiting for. Time slowed as her orange yoyo hurled toward Chat, trying to snare him. He deftly caught it in one hand and yanked it from Miss Fortune's grip. She gasped in surprise, stepping backwards. Chat glanced at the yoyo in his hand. It would be his only chance to purify the akuma. He hesitated, squeezing the weapon tensely. It pulsed with dark energy; bad luck. It had unleashed more akumas. Hopelessness weighed upon Chat's shoulders. The yoyo couldn't purify her. Miss Fortune screamed as Chat swung the yoyo above his head before smashing it onto the pavement, the yoyo shattering. The villain sprinted toward Chat, the coldness in her eyes replaced with pure fury. Hatred. In that moment Chat remembered.

He remembered her laugh, the way her eyes danced with mirth. He remembered the gentle lull of her voice during late night talks. He remembered the way her lips quirked up into a smile reserved only for him. He remembered how she smelled of fresh bread and cookies and strawberries. He remembered how beautiful she looked as she stared up at the stars or Paris, lights glimmering in her gorgeous blue eyes. He remembered the feeling of her body pressed to his as they embraced.

With all of these memories, Chat raised his hand and uttered one word. His vision blurred.

"Cataclysm."

And he watched as her face twisted in pain. He watched as the dark patch spread from her arm to the rest of her body.

And Chat let her die.


End file.
